The Ring Nebula (also catalogued as Messier 57, M57 and NGC 6720) is a planetary nebula in the mildly northern constellation of Lyra.[4][C] Such a nebula is formed when a star, during the last stages of its evolution before becoming a white dwarf, expels a vast luminous envelope of ionized gas into the surrounding interstellar space.Imaged at Kitt Peak with Steve White using a 16″ LX200 scope with a SBIG ST8E / CFW8 on 3/29/00. Lum. 900 sec. 1×1, red 300 sec. 1×1, green 300 sec 1×1, blue 600 sec. 3×3. Camera operated @ -15c.
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